Marlene Streeruwitz: Emancipation through language and literature!

Marlene Streeruwitz: Emancipation through language and literature!

Baden bei Wien, Österreich - Marlene Streeruwitz has taken a special place in the literary landscape of Austria. The writer, born in Vienna in 1950 in Baden, who lives in Vienna today, strives for a language that freed itself from patriarchal structures. As reports ORF, it uses an extraordinary language and form in her works, which often address profound social issues.

Streeruwitz grew up as the daughter of the school director and ÖVP politician Viktor Wallner in a repressive environment. This shaped her way of life and led her to sports during her childhood to win freedom. In the early 1990s, she celebrated her first literary successes with plays that were premiered on German -language stages, and which immediately brought in different awards. In 1996 she received the Mara-Cassens Prize for her first novel "Seem. 3rd episode. Women's years", who tells the life of a woman abandoned by her husband.

social criticism and emancipation

A central aspect of Streeruwitz 'work is the question of how a free life is possible for women and what social conditions this difficult. Her texts rarely offer insights into their own lives, but intensively address the political and social circumstances under which women have to act. According to Wikipedia she is one of the most politically committed German-speaking writers and, for example, criticized the measures of the Austrian government during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Streeruwitz is also perceived internationally for their commitment. In the fall semester 2024, she will teach as Friedrich Dürrenmatt visiting professor for world literature at the University of Bern. In this context, she will accompany students and doctoral students and offer interactive courses who are concerned with the question "What is literature?" deal with. Excursions to important literary institutions are also on the program. The Professor of Comparatism, Oliver Lubrich, describes her as one of the most important feminist voices in Austrian literature and emphasizes the relevance of your topics that show how social framework conditions shape people.

literary works and influence

The range of Streeruwitz 'work is impressive. In addition to numerous novels, including "Days in May" (2023), which offers female perspectives on the time during the Corona Lockdown, and "distance" that deals with globalization and terrorism, she also wrote essays. Her most recent work, "The Handbook against War" (2024), illuminates the effects of war logic on individual life. Your romantic stories, such as "Partygirl." And "offspring", show the complexity of relationships and the literary operation.

With her activities and her work, she not only influences literature itself, but also regularly leads public discussions about social issues. The film by Imogena Doderer and Katja Gasser is intended to illustrate their way of thinking and vision of an emancipatory society and provides further space for their thoughts.

Marlene Streeruwitz is not only a formative figure in the Austrian literary scene, but also a voice that is heard far beyond the borders of its country, as reporting Mediarelations.unibe.ch impressively shows.